Facilitation of DLA-incompatible marrow grafts by donor-specific serum transferrin?

Studies in mice have shown that donor-specific plasma transferrin (TF) given to the recipient in the peritransplant period facilitates engraftment of marrow from histoincompatible donors. Dogs given 920 cGy of total body irradiation (TBI) and infused with marrow from an unrelated major histocompatibility complex (DLA) different donor generally fail to engraft; only approximately 20% of dogs achieve sustained engraftment. We have now investigated in this model whether the infusion of donor-specific plasma TF would facilitate engraftment. Ten dogs were given TBI, followed at 23 h by an intravenous dose of TF, at 24 h by marrow from the same donor, and another dose of TF at 48 h; six dogs also received postgrafting methotrexate (MTX). Seven dogs (three of four without MTX, four of six with MTX) had sustained engraftment, and three dogs failed to engraft. A single dog given third-party TF failed to engraft. Among five dogs not given TF two achieved sustained engraftment. This pilot study suggests that donor-specific TF facilitates engraftment of DLA-incompatible marrow. Further studies are warranted.